Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Padilla indicted

"Dirty Bomb" suspect Jose Padilla, held by the U.S. as an enemy combatant for more than three years, has been indicted on federal charges in Miami, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday....Although the Justice Department has said that Padilla was readying attacks in the United States, the charges against him and four others allege they were part of a conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim persons in a foreign country and provide material support to terrorists abroad.

For three and a half years, they've held Padilla without charges, only vague rumors about dirty bombs and attacks on apartment buildings, clearly depriving him of his fifth and sixth amendment rights to due process, counsel, and a speedy trial. Now, afraid that the Supremes might actually set their proxy for the freedom of all Americans free, the Bushies indict him for "conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim persons in a foreign country and provide material support to terrorists abroad," something every member of the administration's foreign policy team could be indicted for, and certainly with more justification.

And by making it about alleged crimes overseas involving terrorists, you can be sure that they are intent on depriving Padilla of his right to a public trial on grounds of "national security." Ashcroft and Torture Gonzales are far greater threats to the life and liberty of Americans than Jose Padilla ever was, even if he is guilty of whatever they're charging him with.